All Leaves must fall in Autumn
Leafpool crouched before the pool. As always, it shone brighter than the stars. Brighter than Feathertail's eyes. Closing her eyes, Leafpool she-cat pictured her old friend. A sweet, breathtakingly-beautiful she-cat with a stunning silver coat and bright blue eyes. Then she opened her eyes and saw her own reflection. Ordinary amber eyes to match an ordinary brown tabby pelt. "See?" she muttered to herself. Crowfeather would never want her after Feathertail. And she would never want him. Well, as far as he was concerned anyway. No, I don't love him. ''She scolded herself quickly. She was already in love with the ways of medicine. There was no room in her life for selfish, grumpy, mourning, badger-like WindClan toms. The harsh Autumn wind tore at her face like claws, and the rain pelted down like the waterfall back at the Tribe of Endless Hunting. That was where one of her friends had died. That was where her sister could have died. That was where Crowfeather died inside. "Concentrate on finding echinacia." Leafpool reminded herself firmly. There was no room for her own emotions here. It would be selfish to risk ThunderClan's future due to her own feelings. But every so often, it was all she could do not to yowl in emotional pain. "Leafpool!" a familiar voice, though calm, made her jump. "Spottedleaf!" she exclaimed. Guilt prickled through her pelt. She was standing in a moorland. She must have wondered off ThunderClan territory and had been caught by a StarClan member on WindClan territory! Her face felt hot and flushed when she realized what it must look like to any other cat. "I am not Spottedleaf, young one. My name is Spottedfall. My father, like yours, would have been Firestar. My mother would have been Spottedleaf." Leafpool looked in astonishment at the young she-cat. Yes, she did have a hint of ginger at the tip of her tail, and instead of amber eyes, this cat had glittering green. Then Leafpool noticed something. The cat didn't have green eyes at all. She had a green eye. One, single, green eye. She didn't have four legs either. Only three; one of her hind legs were missing. "I'm not a real cat, of course." she explained quickly. "Am I dreaming?" Leafpool tried to remember falling asleep. "No, it's a vision, I guess. I came to tell you... do what's right. It wasn't right for Spottedleaf and Firestar to be together. If they did, I would have been born. Can you see me hunting among ThunderClan? A weak, helpless she-cat born with three legs and one eye? No. I'd be a burden to the Clan. Do what is right or you will get what is wrong." the cat concluded. Pain shone in her single eye. Leafpool felt sympathetic for the cat. "You hunt..." "Among another sky. It is not your concern where the cats that were never born live. Oh, and Leafpool... remember this. All Leaves must fall in Autumn." ________________________________________________________________________ "Do you think it was an omen?" Firestar mewed, gazing intently at his daughter. "Do you think?" Squirrelflight mewed sarcastically, rolling her eyes at her father. Leafpool narrowed her eyes slightly. This was not to be taken lightly, yet her sister was mocking it like it was a joke. "Do you ever wish she was here?" Leafpool blurted out suddenly. Firestar's eyes darkened. "I miss her a lot, but I'm glad I have Sandstorm. Spottedleaf was then. Sandstorm and you two are now. I will never regret taking Sandstorm as a mate, and it would never have worked out between me and a medicine cat anyway." he mewed, and left the medicine cat's den silently. Squirrelflight and Leafpool glanced at each other awkwardly. "Squirrelflight, are you okay? Are you sick? Why are you in the medicine cat's den? Was it food poisoning?" a familiar voice broke the silence. Leafpool could sense her sister's annoyance. "I'm fine, Ashfur. Stop worrying." she mewed briskly, rolling her eyes. Leafpool sighed. Her sister thought she had the hardest life in the world! If only she knew... "Squirrelflight, we're friends, aren't we?" she mewed. The dark ginger she-cat stared at her sister. "Of course!" she exclaimed. "Say I was really close to a tom. Like you and Ashfur." Leafpool began. Squirrelflight looked uneasy, and Leafpool realized that Squirrelflight's heart didn't lie with Ashfur at all. "Yes..." "And he didn't know I existed. Would you help me?" Leafpool tried to keep the despairing from her tone. Unsucessfully. "I'd go to the old forest and back to help you, silly furball!" Squirrelflight purred affectionately. Leafpool knew that her sister was telling the truth, but what she was asking was probably even harder than that. "It'll be hard." Leafpool warned her quickly. "Who is it, then? It's not Brambleclaw, is it?" Squirrelflight mewed anxiously. ''And she's not supposed to love him! ''Leafpool thought, amused. "No, I'll tell you..." _________________________________________________________________________ "...and as soon as they get angry, you have to run. No cat is dying for me today, especially not you!" Leafpool muttered. The two sisters crouched, silent, amongst the hills. As always, Squirrelflight crouched a little before her sister. Protecting her. "How can you be sure he'll come?" Squirrelflight hissed in reply. Leafpool followed her sister's gaze to a plump rabbit. It tempted her, but not enough to draw her from sanctuary. "He comes every night. I've scented it." Leafpool thought of Feathertail, watching from StarClan. Confined to the land of the dead. Watching her true love, his blue eyes shining in contrast to his smoky gray pelt, with another she-cat... well, not really. They weren't together, and they wouldn't be unless Leafpool did something drastic. Finally, four forms were visible against the gray evening sky. It was too dark to tell whether Crowfeather was among them. The two she-cats waited, tense, until the cats were close enough. "Now." Squirrelflight leapt from her hiding place, and strolled confidently away from the border. There was no prey to "steal", to Leafpool's disappointment. She hoped that the WindClan cats would have enough pride left in them to fight off any intruders. "Hey, Squirrelflight! How's the prey running." a voice called. Leafpool almost yowled in frustration. Didn't Onestar know that leaders weren't meant to waste their time on patrols, particularly not patrols consisting of cozy chats with other Clans? "Hey, Onestar. It's not going too good, to be honest. What're you doing on our territory?" Squirrelflight mewed, her confusion almost convincing even Leafpool. "You should know that this is WindClan territory, Squirrelflight." Onestar mewed suspiciously. Leafpool noticed Crowfeather, his shining blue eys narrowing dangerously. A light gray tom was already unsheathing his dagger-like claws. The WindClan cats were generally skinnier than the ThunderClan sisters, but there were far less ThunderClan members. If it came to a full-out fight, reinforcements would be needed and excuses would be demanded. The plan could not fail. "We agreed that the territories would be fair. We deserve this patch of land!" she mewed. The light gray tom pushed his way forwards. "Oh yeah, crowfood-eater? Don't you even have enough brains to respect the borders?" he hissed. "Don't you have enough brains to respect common sense? RiverClan took our main water supply, and we need more territory than ever." Squirrelflight retorted. Leafpool felt bad for her sister. Squirrelflight would never normally take territory like this, but they needed a way to lure WindClan members from the place so that Leafpool could talk to Crowfeather.in peace. "Squirrelflight, you know better than..." Onestar began to try and reason, but he was interupted. "She's ThunderClan, Onestar. She'll never know any better." the brown tom growled. Squirrelflight rolled her eyes, and muttered something that Leafpool could not quite make out, although it was certaintly not a kind remark. Leafpool could sense the brown tom's fury and he leapt after the ginger she-cat. Squirrelflight tried to lead them away, but the tom managed to pin Squirrelflight's tail down, rooting her to the spot. Leafpool watched in horror as her sister struggled to free her tail, and a tabby tom leapt onto Squirrelflight's back. He tore at her shoulder blades, and despite her efforts, the ThunderClan member slumped to the floor. The tabby tom looked at Onestar for guidance. "Let her go." he mewed quickly. A dark gray she-cat that Leafpool knew as Ashfoot stepped up angrily. "You're showing weakness, Onestar. She's not who we think she is. What will WindClan saw if they find out you've let yet another ThunderClan cat go unharmed? We don't have to kill her, but we can certaintly show her who's superior." Ashfoot muttered to her leader. The mottled brown tom nodded slowly. "You're my mate, Ashfoot. I'll always trust your judgements, and you're right. We won't kill her, but she can't get away with everything." he replied. The tabby tom stood before Squirrelflight's quivering body, still waiting for an instruction. Crowfeather stared in shock at his friend, giving Leafpool a pang of jealousy. Would he care this muc if it had been her that got caught? "Show her." Ashfoot told the tabby tom. Needing no further instructions, he tore at Squirrelflight's pelt. She yowled in pain. "Leafpool! Leafpool! Help!" she begged. Leafpool stayed rooted to the spot, petrified. She'd never be able to fight any of these cats! She couldn't even fight a kit! "Where is she?" Crowfeather growled quietly. Surprised, the present cats all turned to look at Crowfeather. Squirrelflight didn't react. "How many of you are there?" Ashfoot demanded. "Lots... a patrol..." Squirrelflight rasped, lying easily. Onestar looked nervous. "I'll go and get a patrol to fight them off." he decided, and sped away across the hilly moorland. Ashfoot narrowed her eyes. The tabby tom struck Squirrelflight a little harder. "Where is your sister?" he hissed. The ginger she-cat whimpered. "Border." she breathed a single word. Crowfeather silently padded towards Leafpool. He'd known where she was all along, she realized. She watched as Crowfeather came so close that he was practically touching noses with her. Leafpool willed him not to tell the others that she was there. She tried to read the emotions in his eyes, but he was careful to keep neutral. "She's not there!" he announced, staring straight into her eyes. Leafpool's heart did a strange, joyful dance. He hadn't betrayed her! "Really?" Ashfoot stormed up to where Crowfeather was standing. Leafpool shrank back at the sight of her lean, powerful muscles. The two she-cats stared at each other for a heartbeat, until Ashfoot finally raised a claw. Leafpool didn't see it coming, but she felt herself being bowled over. "Liar!" the deputy hissed. "I owed her that. For the time she saved me." he hissed. Leafpool felt dizzy and sick, but she couldn't remember saving him. What did he mean? "You love her! First you loved that ThunderClan-RiverClan halfbreed, and now it's just plain ThunderClan. What's next, huh? Have you got a ShadowClan lover hidden in the medicine cat's den? Is there a loner waiting for you at horseplace?" the tabby tom hissed suddenly. Leafpool tried to see what was happening, but the world was spinning. She could tell that Squirrelflight was alive, but how long would that last for? Closing her eyes, she remembered Spottedfall's ominous words. ''All Leaves must fall in Autumn. '' "I love her about as much as you love Squirrelflight, Webfoot!" Crowfeather's words were harsh and forced. "I do not love that crowfood. Don't you turn this on me!" the tabby tom growled. "That's my point. Neither of us..." "Your only point is your lack of loyalty!" Ashfoot interupted. The toms fell silent. Leafpool's heart hammered against her ribcage. Did he love her? What was happening? "I'm loyal to WindClan! I have a good life with WindClan. Why would I want a ThunderClan medicine cat? I can prove that I don't need her. Name anything. I'll do it." Crowfeather growled. Leafpool almost lost conciousness at his words. ''Why would I want a ThunderClan medicine cat? Why would I want a ThunderClan medicine cat? She imagined all his choices for mates. The lithe, sleek black Nightcloud of WindClan was open about her feelings. The shining, stunning Feathertail who he had once loved with all his heart. The witty, muscled Tawnypelt of ShadowClan couldn't exactly be indifferent to him. Then Leafpool. Amber eyes. Brown pelt. Small. No skills. No fight. No worth. Leafpool, who only knew how to fight coughs. Leafpool, who lived under her sister's shadow. Why should he choose her? Why had she ever thought for a second that he would want her? There were no words to describe the pain that tore through her heart. "Kill her." a distant, detached voice finally made Leafpool lose conciousness. _____________________________________________________________________ Leafpool raced through the gentle wind. Was this a vision? A dream? She had no idea. She did not care either. Below her, her lifeless body lay. No, it was not quite lifeless . She was shaking slightly in the Autumn breeze. Why was she not down there with her body? More importantly, why did she care? Crowfeather did not want her. Life had no meaning. Herbs were no consolation. Leafpool watched as a smoky gray tom, with a pelt the colour of a crow's feather, stepped forwards. She saw a dark ginger she-cat, her mouth stretched open in a yowl of horror. She saw a tabby tom, urging Crowfeather on. She saw herself, lying still. Crowfeather lifted a paw. After one crushing blow, Leafpool saw herself yowl in agony. She was only barely breathing. He buried his teeth into her neck. She watched herself tense, waiting. Waiting. Waiting for the Leaf to fall in Autumn. Then his jaw clamped shut.